1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handle assembly for lawnmowers and other wheeled appliances designed to be pushed by a human operator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Power lawnmowers designed to be pushed by a human being have traditionally been manufactured with a handle assembly connected to the mower deck proximate the rear wheels of the mower. The handlebars of these mowers are generally angled forward and downward at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. This means that when an operator applies a force along the handlebar, roughly one half of the force is directed downward instead of being directed forward to push the mower in the desired direction of travel, and the effect is even more pronounced when the operator attempts to push the mower up a hill or incline. This waste of effort causes the operator to suffer from unnecessary fatigue and makes the job of mowing more onerous than need be.
Currently, the primary options available to ease the strenuous burden of pushing a lawnmower involve purchasing self-propelled or riding mowers or hiring a lawn service to mow the lawn, all of which add to the expense of mowing. There remains the need for a simple yet inexpensive means for easing the burden of pushing a lawnmower, particularly up hills.
The present invention comprise an improved handle assembly for an appliance such as a lawnmower having front and rear wheels and which is adapted for pushing by a human operator. The handle assembly includes a handlebar which is connected to the mower deck through at least one mounting point proximate the front wheels and which extends upwardly and rearwardly until it terminates with a generally horizontal push bar adapted for gripping by the operator.
By mounting the handlebar to the mower deck at a position proximate the front wheels of the mower, the angle of the handlebar with respect to horizontal is reduced significantly, to something on the order of 25 degrees. This decrease in the angle of the handlebar results in a reduction of approximately 22 percent in the amount of force directed along the handlebar which is required to propel the mower forward. This labor saving effect can be increased by arcuately bowing the handlebar so that the angle of the upper portion of the handlebar is reduced to approximately 20 degrees, producing an overall savings in the force required to push the mower of approximately 25 percent. Pushable appliances other than lawnmowers such as handcarts and dollies can also benefit from the advantages obtained by use of a front-mounted handle assembly.
The handlebar is preferably pivotally mounted to the mower deck so that the mower deck can rise and fall with the terrain of the lawn while keeping the height of the push bar at a constant level which is comfortable for the operator. When the handlebar is so pivotally mounted, the handle assembly also includes a handle height control mechanism which is connected at a lower end to the appliance proximate the rear wheels and at an upper end to the handlebar at a point intermediate the front mounting point and the push bar. The handle height control mechanism allows the handlebar to pivot about the front mounting point through a limited range of movement. One embodiment of the handle height control mechanism includes a pair of telescoping assemblies, each of which has an inner member slidably received within an outer member; the outer member being pivotally connected to the appliance and the inner member being pivotally connected to the handlebar. The outer member includes an upper limit stop and a lower limit stop, and the inner member includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced adjustment holes which receive first and second limit stop pins. The first limit stop din is inserted into one of the adjustment holes above the upper limit stop and the second limit stop pin is inserted into one of the adjustment holes below the lower limit stop. The first limit stop pin engages the upper limit stop to prevent further downward movement of the handlebar when it reaches the lower limit of its selected range of movement and the second limit stop pin engages the lower limit stop to prevent further upward movement of the handlebar when it reaches the upper limit of its selected range of movement.